Sciatic Pain NHS referrals

[KatieJ662]

Hello all,

I currently have bad sciatic pain down my left leg which is much worse at night or if I have been still for an extended time. Ongoing for 4 months and GP has referred me to the local spine clinic who have booked me a telephone consultation for 8 weeks time. Can anyone shed any light on what I can expect from this consultation? Seems to me like it’ll be another waiting game after that if they decide they want to see me.
I should also say I’ve been doing some physiotherapy although admittedly probably not as much as I should be.
The pain and lack of sleep is beginning to get to me now so I’m really hoping for something positive!

At the hospital where I used to work, the Spinal clinic appointments were face-to-face and within a couple of weeks but Covid will have changed all that. It was a clinical assessment and triage service.
You will get a clinician, possibly a senior physiotherapist or a doctor, taking your medical history and history of your back pain and any other joint pain. You may be referred on for tests such as x-ray, MRI or blood tests. Following that you could be discharged with advice or referred to another service as appropriate. Referrals could be for Orthopaedic, Neurosurgery/spinal surgery, Rheumatology, Pain Clinic or Physiotherapy.
Your clinic may be set up differently, I'm only speaking of my experience.

Thank you very much that’s really helpful advice

Thank you very much that’s really helpful advice